Package-banding machine



C. 5. WEEKS PACKAGE BANDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l I i I I I x l L J ATTORNEY C. 8. WEEKS PACKAGE BANDJNG MACHINE Filed Sept 15, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR A TTORNEY New, 2%,, 11%27.

c. 5. WEEKS PACKAGE BANDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet s NW; 29, HQ? L0,

6. 5. WEEKS PACKAGE BANDI NG MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q? m VENTOR ATTORNE atented Nov. 29, 1927.

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T .QFFI

CHARLES S. WEEKS, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW'JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GARY MANUFAC- TUBING 00., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PACKAGE-BAN DING MACHINE.

Application filed September 13, 1923.

This invention is a package banding ma- Y chine, preferably of the portable type and adapted for applying a band, such as a wire, under tension around a box, case, or other kind of package, although it will be understood that parts of the invention may be used sion. This new step of holding or retaining the band under tension independently of the action of the tensioning means contributes to the performance of an additional function, i. e, that of returning the operating member of the tensioning means to a normal positionconvement to the operator for applying pressure to said operating member-for the purpose of holding the ma-' chine steadily in place upon the package and in the required relation to the hand during the aforesaid subsequent operations of'fastening or securing said band.

My invention is characterized by a tensioning means of novel construction, where- 111 two members are operated conjolntly for pulling. the band in opposite directions at one and the sametime, thus distributing the strain on the band, facilitating the take-up of slack in said band, and placing that amount of tension on said band required to compress or bind the package and to embed said band in the corners of said package, it being desirable in this art to so tightly apply the band as to preclude its dislod ement when shrinkage occurs in the relative y soft and inexpensive wood composing the box or case. In a preferred form, the tension means embodiesa single shaft, a plurality of rockers or heads carried by said shaft and around which the band is strained upon the rotation of the shaft in one direction, and means on said rockers or heads for the attachment or anchorage of the respective end portions of said band. I The rockers or heads are positioned at the respective sides of a band-securing or fastening means, and theyturn on an azgis parallel t9 the throat or $1011 Serial No. 662,464; I

within which is trained or positioned parallel parts of the band the major part of which passes around the package, as a result of which the turning movement of the shaft andsaid rockers pull on the end portions of the band in directions at a right angle to the looped part of said band, and, furthermore, said two rockers pull the end portions of said band in opposite directions at the same time. The shaft and rockers are turned by a suitable operating member in the form of a lever arm, adapted to be operated by hand in a manner to turn the rockers for an indefinite distance so that it is within the power and'judgment of the operator to apply strain to the band until the required tension is applied thereto, at and subsequent to which stage in the process of applying tension to the band the latter is held or re strained from retrograde movement by the action of the hereinbefore mentioned holding orretaining means.

A further feature of the invention consists of a band-holding means especially designed for usein conjunction with a preformed and deformed wire adaptedlto serve as a package band, said means including a plurality of dogs, one of which is fixed relatively to the other, and the latter being pivoted and spring actuated for movement with respect to the fixed dog, whereby the dogs are adapted to be opened automatically to facilitate the introductionof the deformed band, and said dogs are adapted for engagement with shoulders of vsaid deformed wire band for holding the latterefi'ectivelyagainst slippage under the tension applied to said band. The described holding dogs are carried by one of the rockers or heads, and they are so positioned that the deformed end portion of the wire band is thrust easily into the holding device while the wire band (composed of a length of straightened Wire) stands in a position outwardly from the machine, thus facilitating the operation of initially inserting the wire band and anchoring it by the (so-operating dogs on one' of the rockers or heads of said tension means.

The invention embodies means for fasten;

ing the band while it is held under tension of which is a hand lever fast with a gear turning on the shaft of the tension means.

The portable machine includes two hand operated levers positioned in side by side relation and adapted for operation separately or independently, one of said levers being fast with the shaft of the tension means, and the other lever being adapted for movement idly with reference to said shaft. The two levers afford means for conveniently handling or carrying the machine as an entirety, and the lever of the tension means also provides-a convenient element by which the operator may hold the machine steadily in position during the time he is engaged in performing the operations of twisting the wire band and of cutting surplus wire from the end portions of said wire band.

The invention includes, also, a double cutter mechanism the knives of which are pivoted in operative relation to co-operating shear plates within which the parallel parts of the wire band are positioned and by which said parallel parts of said band are held against rotative movement while the twister pinion is rotated. Said knives are controlled by springs, and they are positioned in the patlrof studs provided on a twister driving gear, the relation of said studs to the cutter knives being such as to cut the respective end portions of the band subsequently to the completion of the twist and the points of out being close to the ends of the resulting twist in said band.

Other functions and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention as embodied in a portable machine, showing the same positioned upon a package for applying a wire band thereto, the hand levers eing in the idle positions prior to the operation of tensioning said band or of twisting its end portions to secure or fasten the same.

Figures 2 and 3 are views in end elevation looking at the respective ends of the machine, with the hand levers in the position of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross section in the plane of the shaft for tension means and on the dotted line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of one of the rockers or heads showing the same turned to one of the positions it may assume in straining the wire band.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the other rocker or head equipped with holding means for a deformed wire band and showing said rocker turned to one of a number of positions-which it may assume in tensioning the band.

Fi re 7 is a diagrammatic view illustratmg t e operation of placing tension on a wire band, the operating member and the rockers of the tension means bein shown in one of several positions which tiese parts may assume in placing a desired tension on the band.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the band under tension and held against retrograde movement or slackening by the action of the dogs, the tension means eing free to return to normal or inactive position.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the action of the twister means and the cutter means on the band while the latter is held under tension by the dogs, the tension operating lever being in the normal or inactive position so that the operator can utilize said lever for holding the machine steadily in position while engaged in pulling forward the other lever in order to actuate the twister pinion and the double cutter.

Fi ure 10 is a perspective view of the closed wire loop showing the twist produced thereon and with the surplus wire'cut off from the loop at points close to or adjacent the twist.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section on the line 1l11 of Figure 4.

Figure 12 and Figure 13 are vertical dctail sections on the lines 12-12 and 1313, respectively, of Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a detail perspective view of one of the band-directing members, and

Figure 15 is a similar view of the other band-directing member.

Figure 16 is a detail perspective of one of the two bearing plates e for the twisting pin- 10a.

The machine frame A is relatively light in weight and of small dimensions, one part of which is a relatively thin base a, which is so formed as to enable the tension means and the twisting means to lie close down to the package, the advantage of which is that the wire band is raised only slightly with respeet to the package, and thus the slack to be taken up is minimized. Extending upwardly from the base a are short posts I), which form the bearings 7) for a shaft B, said posts being provided with forwardly extending members 0 the lower edges of which overhang a guiding plate 0' so as to provide a slot or throat (I, within which is received the parallel parts of a wire band i adapted to be passed around the package. The base a is cut away or slotted at a to receive the lower edges of bearing plates e positioned between the members 0, and suitably fastened to the base and the posts, said bearing plates affording bearings e for the journals of the twister pinion C and said plates c being slotted, the slots therein being in register with the slot or throat d. The guiding plate 0' is unitary with the bed plate a, being cast therewith, and it extends forwardly from the bed plate and the throat or slot, so that the guiding plate serves in a way as an element for directing the wire band into the throat d in the operation of passing or training said wire band around the package.

Fixedly attached to the bed plate a and the members 0 are slotted plates D, E, serving the double function of shear members cooperable with the cutter knives hereinafter described, and of retainers for holding in,

parallel relation the side by side positioned parts of the wire hand. These slotted plates are made separately from the machine frame, being composed preferably of hardened metal, such as steel, and they are .provided with slots which are in register with the throat or slot 45.

At one side of the throat ti, and at a suitable distance from it, a'band-directing member F is provided on the bed plate a, either cast therewith or made in a separate piece, and attached thereto. This directing member is shown as having a curved face 7 in advance of a straight face 7" with which coacts a gripping face 9 on one of the handholding dogs G. Said dog is positioned upon a part of the directing member F for movement in a horizontal plane, the direction of said movement being toward or from the faces f f of the directing member F. The dog is pivoted on a stud g and normally said dog is impelled toward the member F by a spring 97, the latter being housed within a recess of the dog.

Another band-directing member H is provided on the bed plate, the same being posis tioned on the opposite side of the throat d from the described member F. This member H is likewise provided with a curved face It and a straight face it for contact with a part of the band, said member H being provided'with an upstanding lug k see Figure 15, against which is fitted asecond holding dog I, the latter being in overhanging relation to a flat face of directing member H. This dog is mounted for movement in a vertical plane, the direction of said movement being toward or from the .flat horizontal face of the member I-I, said dog being fitted for pivotal movement on a stud i supported by the lug b and being actuated by a spring a", which spring cooperates with the dog in a suit-able way, see Figure 15.

The tension means for a wire band includes the shaft B and a plurality of rockers or heads J, K, each rocker being provided with means for the attachment thereto of the wi're band. A single shaft B is provided for carrying the two rockersor heads, said shaft B being ppsitioned horizontally and at a suitable elevation above the bed plate, rearwardly of the throat d in'the machine frame.

The shaft is journaled for free rocking movement in the bearings b of the posts 6,

lug A2 for the accommodation of the band gripper. The sleeves j of the two rockers are fitted on the protruding ends of the shaft, to which shaft the rockers are made fast in a suitable way as by the screws ls, shown in Figure 9. The rockers are positioned at opposite sides of the throat al, and the twister pinion C, and in a plane rearwardly of the same, said rockers turning on an axis afforded by shaft 13 parallel to the length of the throat d. One of the rockers, as J, is provided with asocket Z for the reception of a hand lever L provided with a grip Z, whereby the lever is arranged to be grasped conveniently by one hand of the operator so as to rotate shaft B. and the two rockers.

As a means for attaching a binder to the rocker J, it is provided with a gripper, one form of which is indicated at M. This gripper may be of any construction suitable for the purpose, and it may be constructed to hold a flat wire band, or a. plain round wire, or a plain round wire band, or a. band of any form. Said gripper in one embodiment of the invention is adapted for receiving and holdinga deformed end portion 3 (see Figure 6) of a preformed band Y, the latter being composed of a sin le piece of a straightened wire the length of which is suitable for passing around the case or box Y. Said gripper, designated in its entirety by letter M, is carried by the lug 7c of rocker J, and it comprises a fixed dog m and a movable dog m, the two dogs being relatively inclined to produce a tapering space into which and through which the shouldered deformed end of the wire band is adapted to be thrust so as to contact with said inclined faces and to automatically open the gripper M to the end that the mere actof thrusting the wire band into the gripper will result in the engagementof the dogs with the shouldered and deformed wire so as to lock said wire to the rocker J, andpreclude any slipping of the'wire relatively to the rocker when tension is applied to said wire band. The dog m of the band gripper is shown as comprising a piece of hardened metal fixedly attached to the lug k of the "rocker. The other dog m consists likewise of a piece of hardened metal, which is attached pivotally to the lug 7a of rocker J by astnd m and with the said pivoted dog coacts a spring m the tension of which presses the nose of dog m toward and into contact with the nose of the fixed dog m. The two dogs composing the gripper M for the deformed wire turn with the rocker J when a partial rotation is given thereto by the shaft B, and said gripper thus co-operates with the rocker in pulling the wire band around the arcuate face jof said rocker J, the wire band sliding freely against the faces of the directing member F and past the serrated face of the holding dog G, see Figure 6. Although the rocker J is shown and described as having a gri per M for a deformed wire, it is apparent tiat said gripper may be used for the attachment of a plain wire or band to the rocker, and, fur ther, that the gripper may be modified and altered so as to be useful in fixedly attaching any kind of band or wire to the rocker.

The other rocker K is provided on its lug 7: with suitable means for the attachment of one end portion of the wire or band, said attaching. means being shown as one or a plurality of studs n fixed to the lug It" and around which the end portion of the wire is adapted to be looped, see Figure 5. The end portion of the wire Y is thus adapted to be fastened fixedly to the rocker K, so

L that on the rotation thereof the wire is pulled into contact with the arcuate face y" of said rocker K, the wire sliding freely with reference to the guiding faces of plate H and slipping past the serrated gripping face of the holding dog I, see Figure 5.

Cooperating with the twister pinion C is a gear segment ,0 the teeth of which mesh directly with the teeth of pinion C. This gear segment is mounted loosely on the tension shaft B between the bearing plates 6 so as to be restrained thereby from sliding motion on said shaft. Said gear segment is provided with a socket p in which is made fast the other lever P, the latter being positioned alongside the tension operating lever L, and said lever P being provided with a hand grip p. The levers L P are adapted to be swung rearwardly of the twister pinion and the deviceto rest in their idle positions practically upon the base, and to lie alongside each other, so that either lever may be utilized for holding the machine steadily in place when the other lever is swung forwardly. It will be noted that the hand grips Z 72' of the two levers L P are closely adjacent to enable the fingers of one hand to be thrust through the'hand grips of the levers, thereby enabling the machine as an entirety to be easily carried by one hand when said machine is to be shifted from one package to another or carried from place to place.

A guard member 0' is positioned over the.

gear segment to prevent the hand from accidentally coming into contact with said gear segment, said guard member being fastened at its ends to the bed plate and to the bearing plates.

Q R designate the knives'composmg the double cutter mechanism for severing the wire band at points close to the twist in said band, said knives being actuated automatically by the rotative movement of the gear segment subsequently to the completion of the twist, and said knives acting to cut surplus wire from the looped band in a manner to release said looped band from its attachment to the rockers of the tension means, whereby the machine may be displaced from the looped band by the simple operation of shoving the machine rearwardly. Each knife is composed of a single piece with a cutting edge at the lower part tnereof, said knife being pivotally attached at said lower edge by means of a stud or screw 9 to the bed plate a or to one of the shear plates D or E. Said knives are vertically positioned alongside the shear plates D E for'th'e lower cutting edges of the knives to occupy a shearin relation to the slots in the plates, and sai knives are retained in their idle positions by springs 9 attached to the machine frame and to the upper portions of the knives. The knives are actuated by a pin 7* carried by the gear segment 0 and projecting laterally therefrom, said knives being positioned for the upper parts thereof to lie in the path of said studs. As the gear segment is rotated it turns the twisting pinion and carries the studs 7* toward the knives Q, R, but these studs are so positioned that they do not contact with the knives until the twister pinion has made the required number of turns for completing the twist in the wire band, whereupon the continued movement of the gear segment brings the in 1' into contact with knives and the forcible application of pressure to the lever P is transmitted by the gear segment and its studs to the two knivesfor rocking said knives in a manner to cut the surplus material from the looped band. It may be added that the knife R ispositioned for its edge to sever one length of the wire band which is attached to the rocker J, whereas the other cutter Q is notched adjacent its cutting edge to straddle the wire band and to enable its cutting edge to sever that part of said wire band leading to the other tensioning rocker K, whereby the two cutters are adapted for severing the separate lengths of the wire band leading to the res ective rockers J K. The'operation will e understood from the foregoing description, but may be summarized as fol-lows:The machine is placed upon a case or box Y adjacent the position to be occupied by the wire band to be applied thereto, the two levers L P lying rearwardly of the twister, see Figures 1,-2 and 3. A. pieceof straightened wire of the proper length to pass around the package, and preferably a wire Y with a deformed end 3 is selected, and said deformed end portion is thrust between the guiding faces of directing member F and dog G until said deformed end passes between the dogs m m of the gripper M carried by the rocker J, whereupon the wire is pulled forwardly until the shoulders of said wire are engaged by said dogs, for which forward movement of the wire it is necessary for the operator to release the dog G from contact with the wire by pressing on the upstanding finger piece 9 provided on said dog G. At the preliminary manipulation'of the wire band,

a it extends in a straight condition outwardly from the machine, and it is easily inserted between the members F G for locking engagement with the gripper M, it being noted that the rocker J in the idle position thereof presents the gripper M into the path of the shouldered wire and that the parts F G act to direct the wire in a path which insures the introduction of saidshouldered part of the wire into the gripper M, the engagement of the gripper dogs m m with the shoulders of the wire being semi-automatic.

The wire having been inserted and held by the gripper in the rocker J, the operator next proceeds to bend said wire around the curved face f of the directing member F, and to pass the wire below the knife Q, through the slot in plate D, into the throat d of the machine and the slot in the twister pinion C, and the slot of plate E and below the knife R. The wire is now passed around the package to produce the loop shown in Figures 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10, and to position two parts, 3 W, of said wire into parallel relation, the part 3 being arranged to'pass through the slots of plates D, E, the slot of the twister pinion, and below the knives Q, R, whereupon said Wire part 3 is bent around the curved face of the directing member H, passed below the otherholding dog I, and bent upwardly around the holding stud n of the rocker K. The respective parts y g of the wire band are thus held by the gripper M and the stud n into fixed relation to the rockers, J, K, ofthe tension mechanism, with the parallel parts 3 3 in the slotted plates and the twister. The operator now grasps-the two levers L P with his hands, and applies pressure with one hand on lever P to hold the machine steadily in place while he pulls upwardly and forwardly with the other hand on lever L, the effect of which is toturn the shaft B and the rockers J K to an extent determined by the operator for applying the tension required to the wireloop, the operation of tensioning the wire being depicted clearly in Figure 7. It will be noted that the respective ends of the parallel parts 3 3/ of the wire loop extend around the directing members F H at substantially a right angle to the plane of the loop, and that these ends of the respective parallel parts y y are pulled by the rotative niotion of the rockers in a direction at right angles to the plane of the loop, one rocker J pulling onthe wire in one direction lengthwise of the loop, whereas the rocker K pulls on the wire in the other direction lengthwise of the loop, see Figure 7, the effect of which is to strain the wire equally by pulling in two directions, thereby taking up the slack and placing tension on the Wire by an expeditious operation. During the pull on the wire, the dogs G I turn sufiioiently 150% the wire to slip past them, but when the strain ceases, the serrated faces of the dogs G I have gripping engagement with the wire to preclude any retrograde movement thereof, whereby the looped wire is held under tension by the gripping action of the dogs G I.

These dogs hold the loop under tension independently of the rockers J, K, and the tension means. The lever L is now moved rearwardly to the idle position shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 9, which movement turns the rockers J, K, in a direction reversed to their movement when tensioning the wire, and at this time the wire adjacent the deformed part y slips idly through the gripper M, see Figure 8, and that part of the wire wrapped on the stud n is slackened up to the dogl, whereby the return to normal of the tension means renders the lever L avail-i able for applying pressure on the machine for holding it steadily in place during the succeeding operations of twisting the wire and of cutting surplus material from the ends of the loop. At this stage of the operation, the wire composing the loop is held by the dogs G I under tension around the, package, see Figure v8. lBoth levers L P being rearwardly of the twister, the operator presses downward with one hand on lever L, and pulls upwardly and forwardly on lever P wit-h the other hand, thereby rotating the gear segment and the twister pinion, the effect of which is to intertwist the parallel parts y 3 of the wire, said parallel wire parts being held from rotative movement around each other by the walls of the slots in plates D E, and the twists 7/ extending from said plates D E to the respective sides of the twister pinion, see Figure 9, it being noted that the shear E is omitted from said Figure 9 for clearness of illustration. The twists having been completed by the rotation of the twister to its required position, the studs 7' of the gear segment are in contact with the upper ends of the knives Q R, see Figure 9, and by applying pressure to the lever Pfithe gear segment is turned a certain angular distance so as to forcibly actuate the cutters and sever the respective lus wire to remain attached to the gripper and stud n of the rockers J, K.

The cutting off movement by the knives Q, R, turns the twister pinion for its slot to stand upwardly or at an angle of about to the plane of the loop, said additional movement of the twister pinion operating to give an extra twist to the wire which additional twist is suificient to compensate for the recoil of the twist when set free so that the cut off ends and the central part of the twisted wire will lie in the same plane, see Figure 10, the effect of which is to so position the free ends of the twisted loop that they will not catch in the surface of the floor or upon the other packages when the tied package is moved across said surface.

After cutting surplus wire from the ends of the loop, the pressure is relaxed on lever P, whereupon the spring-actuated knives Q, R act to raise lever P slightly, thereby returning the slotted pinion C to an open position, and the machine is then shoved bodily in a rearward direction by pushing on the lever P, thus displacing the machine from the loop, the twisted portion slipping out of the slotted inion, and the throat of the machine, the oop remaining in place on the package. One severed part of the wire cut from the loop is pulled through the gripper M and a dog G, whereas the other severed part of the wire is detached from the stud and pulled out of dog I, these operations being easily performed to place the machine in condition for a subsequent operation.

In order to reduce the frictional contact between the wire band and the directing members F II, it is permissible to use frictional rolls where the band of the wire is made around the curved faces 7 h, one of said friction rolls being shown at F in Figure 9, it being apparent that two friction rolls may be substituted for the curved faces f h of members F H at the places where the wire bends in order to lead said wire from the throat (I of the machine to the gripping devices on the rockers J K of the tension device.

The tension means herein disclosed forms the subject-matter of a separate application.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

tiall at an angle to the plane of said loop,

and and-joining means for uniting the sideby-side positioned portions of said band.

2. In a package banding machine, loopretaining means for holding definite portions of a looped band in side-by-side relation, deflecting means engageable with end portions of said band and positioned for directing said end portions in planes substantially at a right angle to the plane of the loop, tensioning means including a'member rotatable on an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the loop and operable for tensionmg said loop by pulling on a deflected end portion of the band in a direction at a right angle to the plane of said loop, bandjoining means for uniting the side-by-side portions of said loop, and means for cutting the surplus deflected end portions from said loop.

3. In a package bandin machine, retaining means for a looped band, directing means engageable with end portions of said looped band and operable for deflecting said end portions at an angle to the plane of said loop, tensioning means embodying a lurality of members engageable with said eflected ends, said members being operable conjointly for tensioning said loop by pulling on the respective end portions in directions at an angle to the plane of the loop, bandjoining means, and cutting means for severing the deflected end portions from said loop.

4. In a package banding machine, loopretaining means for holding definite portions of a looped band in si e-by-side relation, means for tensioning said loop by pulling on the respective portions of a band, the direction of 'said pull being substantially at a right angle to the plane of said loop of the band, means for joining the side-byside positioned portions of said band, and means for cutting surplus material from said 5? In 'a package banding machine, loopretaining means for holding definite portions of a looped band in side-by-side relation, means-for deflecting the end portions of said band to positions substantially at right angles to the plane of said loop, means for tensloning said loop by pulling strain applied to the deflected end portions of said band, means for joining the loop, and means for cclutting the deflected end portions of said 6. In a package banding machine, bandtwisting means, in combination with bandtensionmg means, including a plurality of rockers, a band-holder carried by each of said rockers, andfa plurality of band-directin members positioned for guiding the termina portions of said band.

7. In a package banding machine, the combination with a rotatable slotted twister pinion, of a plurality of rotatable tension membei's provided with means for the at tachment thereto of the terminal portions of a band, said tension members being rotatable on "an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said twister pinion.

8. In a package banding machine, the combination with a rotatable slotted twister pinion, of a plurality of rotatable tension members provided with means for the attachment thereto of the terminal portions of a band, said tension members being positioned rearwardly of the twister pinion and being rotatable on an axis extending substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the twisting pinion.

9. In a package banding machine, the combination with a slotted rotative twister pinion of a shaft positioned rearwardly of the twister pinion and substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said pinion, and a plurality of rockers carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, said rockers being positioned adjacent the respective ends of the twister pinion.

10. In a package banding machine, the combination with a slotted rotatable twister pinion of a shaft positioned rearwardly of the twister pinion and substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said pinion, and a plurality of rockers carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, and band-directing means positioned intermediate the twister pinion and the rockers.

11. A package banding machine embodying twisting means including a pinion and a lever adapted for turning movement on an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the twister pinion, and band-tensioning means including a plurality ofrotatable members and a lever, the latter being movable on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the pinion, said levers bein positioned in side by side relation, an each lever affording means for steadily holding the machine when'the other lever is operated.

12. In a package banding machine, twisting means including a rotatable twister pinion, tension means including a plurality of members rotatable conjointly on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the twister pinion, grippers independent of the tension means and positioned for frictional contact with aband to retain the latter under tension when the band tensioning means is in an out of service condition, and

- a plurality of independently operable levers co-operable respectively with the tension means and said twisting means, said levers being each movable into an out of service position and afiording means for steadying the machine.

13. In a package banding machine, twisting means including a rotatable twister pinion, tension means including a plurality of members rotatable conjointly on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the twister pinion, a plurality of bandgrippers engageable automatically with the respective terminal portions of a band and operable to retain the band under tension when the tension means is shifted to an out of service condition, and a plurality of-individually operable levers co-operating respectively with said twisting means and said tension means.

14. In a package banding machine, bandtensioning means including a plurality of{ rotatable members engageable with the respective ends of a looped band, said mem-j here being rotatable conjointly for tension ing said loop by applying strain to the respective ends of said band, in combination, with a twister member rotatable on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said band-tensioning members.

15. In a package banding machine, the combination with band-twisting means, of

- band-tensioning means positioned in a plane offset from the plane of a looped band, said band-tensioning means including members engageable with end portions which are de fiected from the plane of the loop, and said members being operable conjointly for tensionfng' said loop by applying strain to the respective end portions of said band.

16. In a package banding machine, the '95 combination with a twisting member engageable with substantially parallel portions of a looped band, of band-tensioning means including a plurality of members offset with respect to the plane of said twisting mem -j 1W her and to the substantially parallel portions of the looped band engaged thcreby,, said plurality of members being engageable with the respective end portions of a band which are deflected from the plane of the loop, and in;

said members being operable conjointly for tensioning said loop by applying strain to the respective end portions of said band.

1?. A package banding machine embodying twisting means including an operating H0 lever, and band-tensioning means including a plurality of members engageablewith the respective end portions of ahlooped band and an operating lever for imparting move ment conjointly to said plurality of mem- 115' bers, said two operating levers being positionedin side by side relation and said levers being independently movable into service and out of service positions, each lever in the out of service position afiording means whereby the operator may steady the machine on a package at a time when the other lever is in service.

18. A package banding machine embodying twisting means, tensioning means ineluding a plurality of members operable conjointly for tensioning a looped band by applying strain to the respective end portions of said band, and a plurality of separate levers co-operable respectively with said twisting means and said tensioning means, said levers being positioned in side by side relation and each lever being movable into an out of service position wherein said lever affords means whereby an operator may apply pressure for steadily holding the machine on a package at a time when the other lever is in service.

19. In a package banding machine, the combination with a twister pinion, and a plurality of slotted shear plates at the respective sides of said twister pinion, of a plurality of cutters in shearing relation to said shear plate said cutters being pivoted and provided with cutting'edges arranged for severing the respective strands of a looped wire adapted to be twisted by the action of said twister pinion, a rotatable gear segment meshing with said twister pinion, and a plurality of studs movable with said gear segment and extending laterally therefrom, said studs being engageable with said pivoted cutters and operating to directly actuate said cutters in timed relation to the action of the twister pinion in joining the strands of said looped wire.

20. In a package banding machine, the combination with a slotted twister pinion, and means for imparting movement thereto, of a plurality of pivoted cutters Positioned for cutting surplus wire from a loop the terminals of which are adapted to be joined by the action of said twister pinion, springs for separately actuating said pivoted cutters, and means for operating said cutters in timed relation to the action of said twister pinion, the recoil of said springs acting through the cutter; and the movement-applying means to restore said slotted twister pinion to a position permitting the free disengagement of the twisted wire from the slot in said twister pinion.

21. In a package banding machine, the combination with twisting means engageable with substantially parallel portions of a. looped band, means for deflecting the re- :pcctive end portions of said band into positions extending substantially at a right angle to the plane of said loop, tensiomng means cngageable with the deflected end portions of said looped band, said tensioning means being operable for tensioning the loop by applying strain to the deflected ends of said band, means for actuating said twisting moans while the looped band is under tension, and means for cutting the two ends of said wire intermediate the points at which said wire is engaged by the twisting means and the tensioning means.

.22. In a package banding machine, the combination with twisting means engageable with substantially arallel portions of a looped band, means or deflecting the respective end portions of said band to positions substantially at substantially a right angle movement to the twisting means while said looped band is under tension, and cutting means operable subsequently to the twisting means for cutting surplus wire from said looped band.

23. In a package banding machine, twisting means engageable with substantially parallel portions of a looped band the respective end portions of which are deflected at substantially a right angle to the plane of the loop, tension means including a plurality of members engageable' with said deflected end portions of said band, directing means intermediate said twisting means and said tension members for determining the points at which said end portions of the band are deflected from the plane of the loop, means for actuating said tension members conjointly whereby to tension the loop by applying strainto the respective end portions of the band, means for actuating the twisting means at a period when said loop is under tension.

2-1. In a package banding machine, twisting means engageable with substantially parallel portions of a looped band the respective end portions of which are deflected at substantially a right angle to the plane of the loop, tension means including a plurality of members engageable with said deflected end portions of said band, directing means intermediate said twisting means and said tension members for determining the points at which said end portions of the band are deflected from the plane of the loop, means for actuating said tension members conjointly whereby to tension the loop by appl ing strain to the respective end portions of the band, means engageable with said deflected portions of the band for retaining said band under tension, and means for actuating said twisting means.

25. In a package banding machine, twist ing means engageable with substantially parallel portions of a looped band the respective end portions of which are deflected at substantially a right angle to the plane of the loop, tension means ineludin a plurality of members engageable with said deflected end portions of said band, directing means intermediate said twisting means and said tension members for determining the points at which said end portions of the band are deflected from the plane of the loop, means for actuating said tension members conjointly whereby to tension the loop by applying strain to the respective end portions of the band, means for actuating the twisting means at a period when saiddoop is under ma am at which said end portions of the band are I deflected from the plane of the loop, means for actuating said tension members conjointly whereby to tension the loop by applying strain to the respective end portions of the band, means for retaining said band under tension, means for actuating said twisting means while the band is under tension, and means for serving said band at points close to the resulting twist for removing surplus wire from the looped wire.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed 2 my name this 8th day of September, 19231 CHARLES S. WEEKS. 

